ST. PAUL, Minn.  Republican officials say their radically curtailed convention offers a big political opportunity for the party to redeem itself on the competence issue  and for John McCain to step out of President Bushs shadow once and for all.

There's no doubt it's a bit morbid to think about (and write about) the politics of a potential natural disaster and the thoughts  and prayers  of those gathering here are keenly focused on the Americans who face potential peril in Gustavs path. Thats true for Republicans, Democrats and members of the media alike.

But this is a national political convention and the potential political fallout of Gustav is a topic that was consuming Republican Party and McCain campaign officials on Sunday  one day before the official start of what had been planned as four days of festivities here.

You dont wish for it, but it shows McCain dealing with a surprise  a big event that has consequences on people, a convention planner said. Its redemption for the Republican Party on the competence issue. The convention ends up being about John McCain showing the best way to serve a cause greater than yourself.

The storm carries with it political risk, too: if the government botches the emergency response it could further erode the publics confidence in the GOPs governing competence.

The looming storm ravaged convention plans, forcing Bush and Vice President Cheney to cancel live speeches, Monday's schedule to largely be scrapped and the media to turn its focus to what could be another Hurricane Katrina or worse.

But, in cold political terms, this could be a very good thing for McCain. At the very least, it pulls an unpopular president and vice president away from here at a time when Democrats are ready to hit McCain with a barrage of ads and talking points linking him to Bush.

One GOP consultant on what the absence of a Bush speech means for the party: "A whole series of Obama ads now in the dumper."

Convention planners weren't thrilled with the lack of star power during the first few days anyway.

GOP leaders  and the Obama/Biden campaign as well  also are being carefully proactive to do everything possible to help the beleaguered residents of the Gulf Coast. The McCain campaign plans to write a check for hurricane relief and was making charter jets to delegates from the areas in Gustavs projected track who need to fly home.

McCain and his new running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, flew to Mississippi on Sunday to show they are on top of things. Back here, there is talk of convention-goers raising money for victims or putting together care packages for victims  a genuinely good gesture if they do it and probably good politics, too.

This is McCain doing the right thing, showing leadership and taking command, the convention planner said. Hes deciding how to handle this, and Bush is irrelevant.

The unexpected disaster also offers the GOP a do-over on Bush's disastrous response to Katrina three years ago. If the government can do a much better job of responding to a natural disaster this time around, it can only help the GOP.

The officials would not discuss the political implications on the record. But their thinking is clear, based on not-for-attribution interviews.

Bullshit. You fire the boss of a company when he does that bad, you don't give a second chance and give do overs.

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McCain has 33% negative feelings toward him, Bush has 55%. How is McCain and Bush even associated? They are in the same party? Bush used attack ads in the 2000 election against McCain to win the Republican primaries? He use to have a man-crush during 2004 with the media but since we have to love Obama, forget McCain. If Bush was bad, imagine Obama with a lack of experience running the White House especially if you put Obama/McCain side to side.

55% is a bit too low don't you think. If America has a negative feeling toward him, you would think that number is a bit higher with all the negative press he gets.

So if Bush and McCain are alike, they must be war heroes. They both served in Vietnam. They used the same strategy in Iraq.

Actually, to become a boss of a company, you have to be the most qualified. Now put McCain and Obama together. Notice McCain resume sticks out.

Has anyone ever changed their mind on politics from what they have read on a message board like this?

I doubt it. Most changes in an adult's values on come as the result of a significant emotional event S.E.E. (Dr. Morris Massey) such as a death, birth, marriage, divorce etc. When the person is in the loosend stage, they may change depending on what they see, hear, experience etc.

I believe these boards are a nice way to relieve the powerless feelings many have in todays environment. We really can't change them, so we focus on posting our views and or attacking those who disagree with us.

I would much rather find out why people who think differently than I do think the way they do. I believe in enough liberal and conservative values that I have a hard time understanding anyone who actually hates the other side and wants them destroyed.

If either the far right or far left ever ruled completely, this would be hell. The first 6 years of Bush's rule have proven that to me. Fortunately, both sides are dumb enough that when they get power, they fuckitupcompletely unitil the people see this and shift back.

You may agree with me or not, it doesn't matter. No one in politics has all the right answers. If you think you do, you are living a real delusion.

Screw it for the rest of this election. I will do my work at work with those who are afraid of Obama, don't know him or have been sucked in by the lies on the blogs about his Muslimness and hate for the white race.

If I was a person who lives in NO I think any effort to make amends would take more than a photo op of McCain and company in the disaster area to convince me they were concerned about my well being. Where were these politicians when it really mattered? Where were they when the red tape was holding up the progress to rebuild the city?

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